<P>Need a funding angel or want to be one? Well, do I have a website for you.<P><A HREF="http://artAngels.org" TARGET=_blank><B>artAngels.org</B></A>, set up by high-tech savvy performing arts enthusiasts, has a mission to pair up patrons with arts organizations. Their mission statement reads, "artAngels is a new nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting arts organizations and patrons on the web. We hope this site will encourage you to learn about and support the diverse arts organizations in your local community."<P>And you know dance will be strongly represented when you have on the team of artAngels, someone like "Founder and Arch Angel" Cate Riegner, whose bio partially reads, "Her love for the arts stems from her training, since a child, in classical ballet. Cate attended the School of American Ballet in New York and was a semi-finalist in the Prix de Laussanne International Ballet Competition in 1985. Cate helped found a dance company, Kunst-Stoff, in San Francisco in 1998. Her efforts to raise money for Kunst-Stoff inspired her to start a charity site for the arts."<P>Very impressive stuff. I must say I was moved when I discovered their site (thanks, HM, once again), especially when I saw the <A HREF="http://artangels.org/POL.html?metacat=1" TARGET=_blank>Dance page</A>.

A message from the Arch Angel:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>We are testing a new feature at artAngels.org called "Be an Angel". <P>Be an Angel is an easy way to give your support to arts organizations. When you sign up, you make yourself available via email to non-profits who need professional advice in your field of expertise. When a non-profit sends us a question, we forward it via email to the Angels with appropriate expertise, who can answer them as they see fit. While we of course encourage your active participation, there is no obligation to respond. <P>Go to: <A HREF="http://www.artangels.org/PBA.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.artangels.org/PBA.html</A> and sign-up today. <P>Then please let me know what you think. If you know someone with business expertise and a soft spot for the arts, please pass it along.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited March 26, 2001).]

Well, artAngels threw a huge launch party Wednesday night at the SOMARTS Cultural Center in SF to announce their existence. I wish I could say something about it but I can't, as I got tired of waiting in the very long line. But I gave it a shot though. I waited and tried mingling with the crowd but most didn't seem interested in the performing arts. I guess they were there to have a good time. More than a few didn't even have an invitation. Who can blame them though? They heard about this amazing party with cool performances and couldn't resist crashing it.<P>So, I called my favorite dance critic and asked her what to do. I told her I had already made up my mind to leave, as I wasn't in the mood for a crowded party in a tight space. I had asked earlier to speak to someone with artAngels -- anyone really -- just to say "hi and bye" but got no where with the bouncers at the door. No matter how I phrased my question or what I said, I got the same very focused response:<P>"We were told not to let anyone in until someone leaves."<BR>"No, I'm not interested in going in. I would just like to talk to Cate or someone."<BR>"We were told not to let anyone in until someone leaves."<P>After listening to my report about the bouncers, my favorite dance critic declared, "That's stupid! You're a potential angel." Indeed I had come to see how I could help and how much of my resources, both financially and human, I should bring to bear for this organization. My heart sank. How many people I saw in the crowd were angels being turned away and turned off? Not just from artAngels but from artists altogether? <P>After receiving encouragement from my favorite dance critic to leave the overflowing gathering, I got back into my car and called my favorite Artistic Director, of a prominent ballet company. "You didn't get in at all?" she exclaimed. "No," I responded, "the wait was incredibly long." I was glad she had decided not to go. It would not have been good for her to have been seen standing in line outside of what was amounting to a club scene.<P>Next in line of people I had to call was a fellow potential angel, whom I thought would have been an ideal match for this organization. Fortunately, he didn't ask about the party, for my account of the evening would not have sat well with him. Ignorance is bliss they say. Still, my conscience may yet get the better of me; perhaps I may some time come clean with him and help him focus his philanthropy in a more effective way.<P>Having yet one more call -- what would have been my last of the evening -- to make, I found I didn't really want to recount my evening's experience. So, I sent an email message instead, to my other favorite Artistic Director, of a modern dance company that recently received special recognition in a national dance monthly. Being a member of her board of directors, it was my duty to report to her any potential angels that her company could benefit from. Not really having anything to say, I wrote, "There are much better ways to develop funding than this."<P>The night however was not entirely a loss for me, in spite of the ten-dollar parking fee. A performance group whose Advisory Board I serve was one of several that entertained the lucky people who did manage to get past the bouncers. Surely that will get them some exposure and make my work easier in helping them develop their board... Or will it?<P>Now, I have to think about my resource allocation. Hmm, how much does this group deserve?<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited March 29, 2001).]

Well it certainly sounds like a good idea. They have received some serious funding $50,000+ to kick off the idea and will take a 10% admin fee, which is fair enough.<P>To be honest Azlan I think this interesting concept is designed for those who are interested in the arts but don't have the knowledge base to know who they should support. I think you can channel your resources precisely to those groups who appeal to you with 100% going to the groups.<P>I looked at the party invite and it was an all-comers affair. Obviously someone like me would have been able to get in straight away, but you shouldn't feel bad about that Azlan - some cats got it and some cats don't.

Ah, yes, then why the party? Who does it serve? Who is it aimed at? How much of the donors' money did they spend? How much effort did the volunteers put into it?<P>There is a classy way to pull in potential donors with the deep pockets. And there is a way to throw a club party.

This is a very sad commentary on either poor planning or lack of vision - or both.<P>I have had that happen to me, too. In the case of most of us who are truly dedicated or have some idea of whom to contact, we will be donors and supporters almost no matter what happens. But, I am sure there are many others who are turned off when they are turned away.<P>In my opinion, it is an empirical truth that people respond to a person - rather than an event. The personal touch/contact, if you will. Someone standing at the door from the group itself, (rather than a bouncer type) to greet the guests, and perhaps even taking names and answering questions outside the door would have been an improvement over what happened.<P>It is sad to think of those that might have turned away - never to turn back again.

A press release:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>artAngels Launches Local Charity Web Site for the Arts</B><P>PR Newswire<P>Bay Area Citizens Now Able to Easily Support the Arts Community With Time, Money or Talent<BR>SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- artAngels, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization to support the arts, announced today its debut of the first online network linking arts organizations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with volunteers, enthusiasts, patrons, and other art organizations. By creating the first online venue where arts supporters can learn about and contribute to arts organizations, artAngels.org enables art lovers to use the Internet to become art patrons (i.e. ``angels'') -- and thereby directly channeling resources to the arts quickly and efficiently. artAngels aims to become an on-line charity hub, promoting the value of patronage for the arts and heightening artistic and cultural development on a local, regional and national level. By raising awareness of digital philanthropy, artAngels strives to grow the number of individuals who contribute their time, money, or expertise to the arts.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010328/sfw002.html" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

FYI, I sent a message to Cate Riegner and Gal Adam of artAngels and received a response from Riegner. I will post her reply when I have her permission (I asked her to review it one more time). Here was my letter:

I checked with a few people to make sure my comments didn't sound spiteful but there only to raise some questions and issues. I hope one of you will provide a rebuttal, a clarification, or an account of the night's successes. I still think it is vitally important we get down to the serious business of attracting potential donors.

To Azlan - and anyone else who was waiting outside the artAngels event on Wed - thank you for attending the event and for keeping an open mind about the long wait to experience the show. artAngels had an overwhelming response on Wednesday - above and beyond anything we expected. The response was WONDERFUL - and clearly indicates that we are filling a void for the arts community - but we do regret that people had to wait to get in. Our main concern, however, was safety - and we could not exceed 300 people in the space. At the time the bouncers stopped letting people in - the head count inside was nearing 400. Having such a long line outside was extremely unfortunate - and we did everything we could to improve the situation - we sent performers outside to entertain the people waiting, we made periodic announcements explaining to the people in line what was going on - so that they could decide if they wanted to continue waiting - and we even made an announcement INSIDE - letting the audience know the situation so that they could volunteer to leave and open up room for people who were waiting outside. I do want to be clear that we never turned anyone away - we just had to restrict the flow of people into the space in order to maintain safety. It seems that you arrived during the "peak" time - because eventually we were able to let everyone waiting in. I also want to note that from 8-midnite, the event was open to the public - so an invitation was not required.<BR>Essentially, this event was not a fundraiser - but rather a "launch party" - intended to raise awareness for our site and to showcase the vibrancy of the Bay Area arts scene. To that end, we were not distinguishing between artists, patrons, or arts lovers - we wanted a diverse audience and for as many people as possible to have a good time.

Welcome to our board Cate - glad to have you join us.<P>I am very glad that you had such a response - that is heart warming isn't it? <P>I wish you every success in the future with your plans. <P>And, again, welcome.....

Azlan,<BR>Thanks for your insightful and NOT surprising account(to me) of what took place at the artsangel launch. Big events like this easily get out tof control and don't seem to serve the purpose if the proper focus isn't developed and formulated before hand. I have no idea who was involved or how the event was planned, and for all I know they were advised by a top notch PR or Marketing firm on how to "launch" this new organization. BUT, and there's always a but isn't there? I work for an extremely prestigious PR firm in San Francisco. We handle one of the most successful gaming companys in the world, a high profile toy dot com sight and some heavy hitters in terms of server storage, security and web hosting products in the Silicon Valley-just to name a few. We have a Sr Vice President who is a genius at launching anything, and I mean anything. We have a young, hip and extremely intelligent account staff AND our President is a former dancer and chef(like me!) And not once, not once have any of my friends who run theatre,dance or opera companys asked if my employer supports non-profit and/or arts organizations. You know, free advice, a donation of some time to help effectively attract and entertain people with money,plan an event or fund raiser, blah, blah, blah. In my mind this is just plain stupidity. I have an online friend, who donates some time to one of our large dance companys by going in to the office once a week and doing some administrative support work(and there are many more like him doing the same thing.) One of my favorite small bay area dance companys has steadfastly refused to take me up on my offer to volunteer and do whatever I can to help. So you see, so many organizations that are begging for help and on the brink of shutting down on a regular basis, want help, but they're very choosy about who they want that help from. So if someone like myself, with a passion for the arts, who's well connected through his professional experience AND his employer can't help, then who can? I welcome all thoughts and comments on this. And forgive me for rambling. I LOVE THE PERFORMING ARTS.<BR>David<P><p>[This message has been edited by DavidH (edited March 31, 2001).]

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